Mashpee man denies child rape charge

BARNSTABLE — A registered sex offender who allegedly stored loaded guns and more than 50 videos of child pornography in his Mashpee home pleaded not guilty Monday to child rape and other charges.

Jeffrey P. Laporte, 32, was arraigned in Barnstable Superior Court on charges of rape and abuse of a child after certain offenses, possession of child pornography as a subsequent offense, lascivious posing or exhibiting of a child in the nude, distributing material of a child in the nude, disseminating obscene matter to a minor, illegal possession of a class B substance, three counts of possessing a firearm without a firearms identification card and two counts of possessing ammunition without an FID card.

Laporte was arrested in May after his home was searched by multiple agencies and police found two loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun and cocaine in his room, according to a state police affidavit. After reviewing a computer in the bedroom, an officer estimated it contained more than 50 videos of child exploitation.

A moderator of an online chat room had notified the FBI that someone with the username “luvinlilgirlzrp” had uploaded an image of a prepubescent naked girl with a naked man multiple times, even after it had been deleted, according to the document.

On Monday, Laporte’s attorney, Ruth McLaughlin, agreed that her client be held on $100,000 cash bail and have no contact with children under 14 but asked that he still be allowed to participate in a “homework program” at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility in which he spends time with his fiancee’s 7-year-old daughter.

Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney Michael Patterson argued that Laporte had digitally raped a 5- or 6-year-old girl who was “known to Laporte” in a similar way and that he should not be allowed to see his fiancee’s daughter.

Laporte “engaged in a grooming-like behavior,” with the rape victim, Patterson said.

Judge Robert Rufo agreed he should not be allowed to see the girl but told McLaughlin she could bring the issue up later if she found additional information that supported her argument.

Laporte has a pretrial conference scheduled for Jan. 19. He is currently serving a sentence for multiple counts of possession of child pornography, rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to the district attorney's office.